Loose-leaf binder



' [farfelzar Nicholas H. Jclar f N. H. STUART LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed March 13. 1929 June 24, 1930.

uw Q mxwwm. Q WL Av NS NN Patented June 24, 1930 rJNrr-:Di STATES Parser orner-:J

NICHOLAS H. STUART, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO REMINGTON F BUFFALO, NEW YORK LOOSE-LEAF BINDER Application filed March 13, 1929. .Serial No. 346,594.

The present invention relates to temporary binders and has particular relation to binders of the loose leaf type inwhich the cover members lare adjustable towards and away from one another in order to clamp groups of pages therebetween and yto permit of the quick removal of pages therefrom or insertion of additional pages there- One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a binder of the character described having la flexible cover or backing strip for the edges of the pages adjacent to where they are clamped between the covers and which is yieldably connected to one or both of the covers 'under constant tension regardless of the thickness of the group of pa 'es contained in the binder.

-nother object ofther invention is to provide a binder of the character described having aflexible backing-.strip connected to one of the cover members by a spring that is so arranged as to permit-of a maximum degree of resilient displacementwithin' a comparatively small space and which permits the backing strip to automaticallyv dapt itself toy awide range of adjustments inthe distance between the covers'without exceeding the elasticl limit of the spring.

A` further object of the invention is to provide a binder of thecharacter set forth having one of the cover members thereof constructed to form. an enclosure for the backing strip. and which houses the portion 35 thereof in excess to that actually required to nprotect the edges of a group of pages of a particular thickness7 thus at all times presenting a neat and compact appearance whether the binder is empty or filled to the limit of `its capacity.

Other objects of the invention will appear from. the following description and appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view of a loose leaf binder constructed in accordance with the invention and with the covers thereof in an open position. 5o. Fig. 2

is a sectional view through the binder with the covers thereof in a closed l position. v.

Fig. is a sectional View taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, a loose leaf binder constructed in accordance with the invention is shown as comprising a pair of cover members 1 and 2 each of which embodies a rectangular frame 3 having outwardly tapering margin strips t secured to the upper and lower edges thereof as shown in Fig. 1. An inner metallic plate' 5 and an outer fiber sheet 6 are secured to the frame RAND me., y,

3 and provide a compartment therebetween which houses the adjusting mechanismpresently to be described.

The upper and lower edges as shown in Fig. 1 of each of the plates 5 are` bent around the frame 3 to form flanges, 7 which overhang the frame in spaced relation thereto to provide guideways 8 at opposite sides of cover 1. Spacing-members 7 engage between flanges 7 and frame 3 intermediate the ends of the flanges. and retain, said flanges in proper spaced relationwith the frame and form the, outer edges of the guideways 8. Channel members 10 are secured to the adjacent edgesv of 'the cover members 1 and 2 respectively and are formed with ear portions 11 `which are pivotallyconnected to ears 12 provided on each of a pair of clamping bars-131. These bars are `provided with apertures 14 adaptedto receive the endsof a'pair of-studs 15 which are carried by a pair of transfer bars 16. j These transfer bars directly engage the opposite sides of a group of pages 17 and are each provided with aA pairl of posts 18 which extend in opposite directions through a series of registeringY perforations 19 formed in the pages 17. Y

An adjusting bar 2O extendslacross the cover 1 between the platesl 5A and 6 and lis provided with a plate member4 21 formed with an offset central portion providing a guideway for slidably receiving,` ratchet bary 22l which is Vsecured vto the cover '1 between the plates 5 and 6. A pair of flexible straps l or thongs 23 are each secured atene end lto the adjusting bar 2Q by means of aclipz 24k-,

" justed position by means of a ratchet 27 which is pivotally mounted on the bar 20 for engagement with the ratchet bar22 and may be released by means of a handle 28 which extends upwardly througha slot 29 provided in the plate 5. The construction and operation of the ratchet mechanism is more fully described in my copending application Serial No. 346,693 filed March 13, 1929. Y v f f A flexible backing strip 30 of leather, fabrikoid or other suitable material is secured along oneedge to the cover 2 and extends around the back of the binder and into the guideways 8 provided in the cover 1. A stiifening bar 31 is secured to the other edge' of the backing strip 30 and is connected to one end of a stirrup 32 V@the other end Vof which is formed with a loop 33 which embraces one leg 34 of a rod or guideway 35. One end of this guideway is bent upon itself and is secured to the plate 20 and the other end is similarly bent to provide a leg 36 which is provided with a stop or abutment 37 adjacent to the end thereof. A compression spring 38 surrounds both of the legs 35 and 36 between the loopv 33 of the stirrup 32 and the abutment 37 and tends to yieldably maintain the backing strip 30 in position and to take up any slack that may develop therein. 1

' By means of this construction the baclrc ing strip is-permitted to move relative to the covers when the binder is opened and closed and is maintained under the same tension irrespective of the thickness of the groupof pages contained in the binder. For example, if a group of pages is removed from the binder and the bar 2O is adjusted to a new position to Vsecurelyclamp the remaining pages in the binder, the backing ,strip willvbe yieldably drawn into the cover 1 by reason of its attachment to the bar 20 without subjecting the spring 38 to an undue degree of compression. Thus, it will be seen that the backing strip being yieldably connected to the adjustment bar 20, is movable therewith to all positions that it may be adjusted to on the ratchet bar 22 and at the same time isL permitted to move relative to the bar 2O and the cover 1 by reason of its flexible connection thereto.

'Furthermore, by reason of the particular configuration of the guideway 34 a relatively long spring capable of a considerable degree of-displacement may be employed and at the same time permit the bar 20 to be adjusted to a position relatively close to its inner limit of travel.

The invention may be modifiedk in construction and arrangement without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention as defined in the' appended claims.

l/Vhat is claimed is:

1. A temporary binder comprising in combination a' pair of cover members, a cross-bar movably mounted on one of said cover members, binding members connecting said cross-bar tothe other of said cover members, a backing' strip connected at'one edge to said last-mentioned covermember, a guide mounted on said cross-bar, a compression spring mounted on said guide and means connected to the free edge of said cover striphaving a portion slidable on said guide and voperatively engaging said spring. 2. A temporary binder comprising in combination a pair of cover members, a cross-bar movably mounted on one-of` said cover members, 'binding members connecting said cross-bar to the other of said cover members, a backing strip connected at one edge toV said last-mentioned cover member, a rod having one end thereof xed to said cross-bar and the other end 'thereof return bent and provided with a stop, a link having one end thereof connected to the free edge of said backing strip andthe other end thereof-provided with a portion for slidable engagement with the main part of said rod, and a compression spring surrounding said rod between said stop and said portion. `Y f 3. A temporary binderv comprising in combination a pair of cover members, one of said cover members consisting of an open frame, 'a plate secured to oneside of said frame and having the opposite side edges thereof'extending aroundy and overhanging the other side voi" said frame-in spaced relation therewith to provide guideways therebetween, a plate secured to said otherside of saidframe and enclosing said guideways, binding mechanism for adjustably connecting lsaid cover members together, a backing strip connected to one of said cover mem-V bers and extendingpinto the guideways of the otherof said covermembers, and" means for maintaining said backing strip under tension in allvof the adjusted positionsof said cover members.

NrcrioLas H.' s'ruaar.V 

